Slateford-5
09-12-08, 08:43 AM
I am not usually one to bother with the harbour attach malarkey, but when bored last night I thought I would give it a go.
It's Agust 1940 in a VIIB. Through the straights of Gib we go: nothing in sight. Got within 12 km Gib harbour when I decided to dive to PD as 5pm. So far so good. Gently slip over the first AS net without breaking the surface (but only just).
On external cam, there are 3 Southamptom types in a staggered row up ahead in the northern end of the bay as well as assorted merchants at anchor. Only mobile ships around are 2 MTB and a ASW trawler, all by now a good 5 km south of me.
It's growing dark as I slip through the little gap between the harbour wall at the second lighthouse and the second AS net. Still stealth meter stays apple green. All this at 1 kt, 15 m deep. CO2 is rising a bit by now, but it's pitch dark. I turn very gently before the net does a right angle north, coming around slowly to line up my shots. Planning on 2 each for the farthest two warships: could be 21 K of warship coming up...
BUT...
Sonar man says "warship, bearing 91 deg, long distance, closing fast". I ignore this at first, as it's a long way off. The boat is taking an age to turn in this tight space. I go to external cam. The stealth meter immediatley goes red, the destroyer is less than 1 km away and shooting! All this while the moored warships do nothing, no lights, no movement and three previously closer anti sub ships have just continued on their merry way! Then all the lights come on...
As it turned out, I hit the wall on the way out and sank. I know it was a bit silly, but I was left wondering how a destroyer that was heading east 8 km away suddenly decided to head straight for me at high speed, all guns blazing, when at least 6 ships much closer by had done nothing.
Anyway, I'm not going back until I've upgraded to frogmen equipped with wirecutters in a detachable mini-sub for the nets.
It's Agust 1940 in a VIIB. Through the straights of Gib we go: nothing in sight. Got within 12 km Gib harbour when I decided to dive to PD as 5pm. So far so good. Gently slip over the first AS net without breaking the surface (but only just).
On external cam, there are 3 Southamptom types in a staggered row up ahead in the northern end of the bay as well as assorted merchants at anchor. Only mobile ships around are 2 MTB and a ASW trawler, all by now a good 5 km south of me.
It's growing dark as I slip through the little gap between the harbour wall at the second lighthouse and the second AS net. Still stealth meter stays apple green. All this at 1 kt, 15 m deep. CO2 is rising a bit by now, but it's pitch dark. I turn very gently before the net does a right angle north, coming around slowly to line up my shots. Planning on 2 each for the farthest two warships: could be 21 K of warship coming up...
BUT...
Sonar man says "warship, bearing 91 deg, long distance, closing fast". I ignore this at first, as it's a long way off. The boat is taking an age to turn in this tight space. I go to external cam. The stealth meter immediatley goes red, the destroyer is less than 1 km away and shooting! All this while the moored warships do nothing, no lights, no movement and three previously closer anti sub ships have just continued on their merry way! Then all the lights come on...
As it turned out, I hit the wall on the way out and sank. I know it was a bit silly, but I was left wondering how a destroyer that was heading east 8 km away suddenly decided to head straight for me at high speed, all guns blazing, when at least 6 ships much closer by had done nothing.
Anyway, I'm not going back until I've upgraded to frogmen equipped with wirecutters in a detachable mini-sub for the nets.